Prologue: Pride Beyond Pride
Life is the accumulation of memories.
A longer life is no better than one that lasts for a few moments
What matters is what you remember about it.
Jacine Jadrek, Commonwealth Philosophy course Term paper.
Earth, 25 years before the Nietzscheans rebelled against the Commonwealth
Dylan stood at the end of the long road. He looked down and wondered if she would show up. He had his doubts, but prayed she would. She was his friend and if what was being said was true, she needed to leave.
Rhade stood next to him, dressed in his uniform, his hands squeezing on a small stress ball Dylan had given him so he would stop assaulting Dylan's cat. He looked nervous, very odd for a Nietzschean. Dylan would normally have smiled, but circumstances dictated otherwise.
Hexa, a Perseid female, sat on the front of the small craft and hummed nervously. She was a diplomat with nerves of steel, but when it came to aiding in illegal activities, she got a little nervous. She too was dressed in the uniform of the Commonwealth Academy. She wanted to know what had happened the night before, a night on which the dean of her school was killed, and a good friend was implicated in the murder.
Sarah, a doctor in training, looked down the murky road and rung her hands together. She wanted to believe what was being said among the body, that there was an affair between the young student and the dean, but she knew that that was a lie. She knew her friend, and knew that she was with someone else, and wanted to blurt it out, but was told to keep it quiet.
"When is she going to be here?" asked Hexa, "If we aren't back in an hour, you know they'll suspect something. Then maybe we'll be next."
"I'm here," said a soft voice above them. A rustling of feathers, and the voice had a body. She looked about seventeen, and was incredibly beautiful. She had tanned skin, red hair that curled into ringlets that fell to her waist, blue eyes, and beautiful white wings. She was an angel, an angel dressed in black leather shorts, a black tank top, and knee high black felt boots.
"Jacine," said Hexa, "What happened? You left last night and the next morning we're told you're a traitor!"
"I'm not here to say what I did. I don't answer to you. All you need to know was I did nothing wrong. However, by Commonwealth standards, I am already guilty. My fingerprints were on the weapon, I was the only one who they know could disengage the security, and then there's the whole thing they think I was sleeping with the dean."
"Where you sleeping with the Dean?" asked Rhade, sounding rather curious.
Jacine swore at him in the language that the two of them spoke.
"So no," said Sarah, "So what happens now? Where will you go? Are you going to turn yourself in?"
"No," said Jacine, "I don't know what I'll do for sure. All I know is that in twenty-four hours a ship leaves for the Angelus home world. I think I need to visit my family."
"Will they accept you, knowing that you may have killed an important Commonwealth official?" asked Dylan.
"My family hates the commonwealth. When I joined, they told me that until I left the commonwealth, I would not be welcomed home. Mind you, they aren't going to like me for being an accused murderer, but they'll find a way to get me somewhere safe. I hurt the commonwealth, that's enough for me to warrant their aid."
"So you're not coming back," said Hexa.
"No, not for a while. I'll find something to do. Heaven knows I've had enough offers to do mercenary work."
"So you'll become a hired gun for some intergalactic scumbag," said Dylan, "I hate to say it, but you can do better."
"Only for a little while Dylan, until stuff cools down. Then maybe I'll be able to find a job as a grease monkey for some little shipping company until I'm proven innocent."
"I'll work on it," said Hexa, "But if you're proven innocent, will you return?"
"Of course. You have my word as an Angelus."
"How did you manage to find a ship so quickly?" asked Sarah, "I mean, it's only been a day."
"I have a reputation. I found a pride that's leaving earth, and they'll take me with them in exchange for some work on one of their alphas. He's got Chimera Syndrome. Got it from a blood transfusion. Some idiot gave him human blood of the wrong type and it's crippled him. I can fix him."
"What pride would take you?" said Dylan.
"Mine," said Rhade, "You asked my father."
"I did," said Jacine, "You told me I was a friend to your pride and could ask them for anything. I offered to help and they offered me help."
"Smart Girl," said Rhade.
"So you're off?" said Hexa.
"Yeah," said Jacine.
"Creeg couldn't come," said Sarah.
"He's security. I didn't expect him to."
"Here," said Sarah, passing Jacine an odd-looking force lance.
"Is this the one he souped up?"
"He said you'll like it. He added all the features of that Angelus weapon you loved, that he broke."
"This was his baby."
"It's a machine. He loved it, but you're his friend Jace."
"Tell him I'll treasure it," she said, slipping the lance into her bag.
"And don't forget me," said Sarah, reaching out her arms and embracing the young looking girl.
"You think I could? You and I, we have memories. Some of the stuff you've told me about Dylan is going to give me nightmares till I'm an old lady."
"JACINE!"
"What?" she said, smiling innocently.
"And don't forget me," said Hexa.
"You still owe me a tour of the Perseid home world. I won't forget it Hexa."
"Bye sweetie," she said, wrapping her arms around Jacine.
"I guess I've got top spot as pilot," said Dylan, smiling as Jacine, "I just wish it wasn't because of this."
"You'll be a great captain. Someday, I'll walk up to you, slug you in the face and then pat you ion the back for being a great guy."
"Why hit me in the face?"
"Because I should be the one in the captains chair, not you."
"I understand," he said, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a chain.
"This is your sisters!"
"And now it's yours. I have no one to give it to. Theres nothing romantic about a piece of chain. All it symbolizes is that I love you like I loved my sister Jacine."
"Thanks Dyl," she said, throwing her arms around him.
"You come back alive, you here me. You also know I will help you no matter what happens."
"Rhade," said Jacine, turning to the Nietzschean.
"Jacine," he responded.
"You take care of them."
"I think we can take care of ourselves," said Dylan jokingly, but he stopped laughing after Rhade growls at him.
"I will. You take care of yourself. You have good genes. Don't be so noble. Take care of yourself, and return so we may continue our quests."
"If only things were different."
"No. Things are fine. If things were different, we would not be who we are, and I would not be standing here saying goodbye."
"Maybe this is a good thing."
"No. Maybe this is not a bad thing though. Your leaving is not a good thing."
"You're so cold, you know."
"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be Nietzschean."
"Bye Rhade."
"Not goodbye. Just see you later," he said, reaching over and kissing her on the cheek.
"There's someone coming," said Hexa.
"I will be back," said Jacine, taking to the skies on her white wings.
"She'll be back," whispered Rhade as she flew out of sight.
Authors Note: You know the legal Mumbo Jumbo. I don't own anything except Hexa, Jacine and Creeg. More is coming as long as this gets reviewed. I like reviews very much. Even if you think it sucks. If you do TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER!